Your stories. Your memories. Your Ronson's
Flame Keepers is recording the untold history of the people who worked at Newport's Ronson Lighter Factory – before those memories are lost.
From the early 1960s to 1982, the Ronson Lighter Factory at Gunville was one of the Isle of Wight's most important workplaces. At its peak it employed around 400 people – the majority of them women – who worked the assembly lines, built friendships that lasted lifetimes, and created a factory culture unlike anywhere else.
Cricket teams. Carnival floats. Fancy dress parties. And yes, the occasional lighter catching fire on the valve-to-shell line.
Those stories deserve to be told. That's what Flame Keepers is here for.
The Interviews
Sit down with the people who were there. Each interview is presented in full, with an interactive transcript that follows along as you listen.
From Ronson's Reunited
In May 2026 more than 40 former Ronson workers came back together – some for the first time in 45 years. Read what happened, or browse the photographs.
Latest news
Did you work at Ronson's?
We want to hear from you. Whether you were on the line, in the offices, or anywhere in between – your memories matter. And if a parent or grandparent worked there, we'd love to hear your family stories too.